Mail-box and milk-bottle holder.



A. E. WILLIAMS.

MAIL BOX AND MILK BOTTLE HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2,1915.

1,201,41 1. Patented 0ct.17,1916.

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ARTHUR E. WILLIAMS, or SLATINGTON, PRNNsYLvANIA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF TO CHARLES CRAIG AND CHARLES 1). PETERs, BOTH 0F SLATINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAIL-BOX AND MILY-BOTTLE HOLDER.

Application filed July 2,

1/ b all whom it may concern Be it known that I ARTHUR E VVILLIAMS,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Slatington, in the county of Lehigh and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail- Boxes and Milk-Bottle Holders, of which the following is a specification. p

This invention relates to an improved receptacle for holding mail and an improved milk bottle holder or clamp carried by the mail box and the principal object of the inventionis to provide an improved type of bottle holding clamp so constructed that it may be easily moved inwardly to a locking position and securely held 'in the set posi tion after being moved inwardly.

Another object of the invention is to provide the mail box with improved means for guiding the clamping arms of the bottle holder to an operative position when the rack bar of the bottle holder is moved inwardly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bottle holder which will be very simple in construction and which will be very easy to operate.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view showing the improved mail box and bottle holder in side elevation with a bottle in place. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the mail box and bottle holder. Fig. 3 is a trans verse sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the outer end portion of the rack bar and the inner end portions of the clamping arms, a fragment of the mail box being also shown.

The receptacle or mail box 10 is provided with an inlet opening 11 and with a side door 12 secured by a padlock 13. The letters are placed in the mail box through the inlet opening 11 positioned above partition 10 and are removed by opening the door 12. To one wall of the mail box there is secured a clamp 13 so that the empty milk bottles may be suspended from the mail box and collected by the milkman when delivering the milk. The empty bottles donot have to be locked and therefore an ordinary clamp 13 is used.

In the front wall of the mail box there is provided an opening formed by striking out Specification of Letters Patent. Pat'gntd 0 1;, 1*? 1916;

1915. Serial No. 37,755.

rack bar 15 is limited in its outward move-' ment by the pin 17 and is releasably held in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 by means of the latch 18 which latch is pivotally connected with the front wall of the mail box. The outer end portion of this rack bar is reduced to form a bearing 19 with which the inner ends of the clamping arms 20 are pivotally connected by means of the plvot pin 21 which passes through the openings 22.

When the milkman makes his daily rounds the empty bottle will be removed from the clamp 13 and the neck of the filled bottle 23 will be placed between the'clamping arms or jaws 20 and the rack bar moved As thls rack bar moves inwardly inwardly. its teeth will slip past the latch 18 and the clamping jaws 20 will be brought into engagement with the tongues 14. When in this position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the tongues 14 will securely hold the clamping jaws in the set position and the latch will hold the rack bar within the mail box'thus preventing an unauthorized person from removing the milk bottles. When an authorized person desires to remove the milk bottles the door 12 is opened and after grasping the milk bottle with one hand the latch 18 will be raised thus permitting the rack bar to be drawn outwardly a suflicient eX tent to permit the clam ing jawsto swing apart and release the ottle. Any letters which have been placed in the mail box can at the same time be removed and the door then again closed and the padlock put in place. It will thus be seen that this device is very simple in construction but at the same time is very eflicient in operation and not liable to easily get out. of order or needrrepair. It should be also noted that the guard 23 protects the bottle cap and prevents it from-being tampered with.

What is claimed is 1. A receptacle, tongues struck from one wall of said receptacle and bent inwardly to provide a passageway and inwardly extending guiding arms, a rack bar extending through the passageway into sald receptacle,

means for slidably connecting said rack bar with the bottom of said receptacle, a latch pivotally connected with the wall of said receptacle and having its free end portion engaging said rack bar, and clamping jaws pivctally connected with the outer end por tion of said rack bar and engaging said guiding tongues and moved to a clamping position thereby when said rack bar is moved inwardly.

2. A receptacle, tongues struck from one wall of said receptacle and bent inwardly to provide inwardly extending guiding tongues and a passageway between the same, a rack bar slidably mounted in said receptacle for extending through said passageway between said tongues, clamping arms pivotally connected with the outer end portion of said rack bar and engaging said tongues and moved to a clamping position thereby when said rack bar is moved inwardly, and means for releasably holding said rack bar in a set position.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

F. A. MUsoHLITz, F. A. KIETH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

